How far is Chapel Hill, TN from Chattanooga, TN?

The driving distance from Chapel Hill, TN to Chattanooga, TN is about 244.5 miles (393.5 km), with a travel time of about 03h 51m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 183.1 miles (294.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 42m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
244.49 mi
03h 51m
Flight
183.12 mi
294.71 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Chapel Hill.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
183.12 mi
Kilometers
294.71 km
Flight Time
00h 22m

Driving Distance

Road route
244.49 mi
Kilometers
393.47 km
Drive Time
03h 51m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 03h 51m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Chattanooga
Sun, Apr 19, 12:20 AM EDT
Return by in Chapel Hill
Sun, Apr 19, 3:12 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Chapel Hill
2026-04-18T19:29
Arrive Chattanooga
Sat, Apr 18, 11:20 PM CDT
Route Timing
03h 51m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:51 AM to 12:51 PM EDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
9:18 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Chapel Hill
9:00 PM CDT
Early departure recommended

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Thompson's Station
TN

Town in Williamson County, Tennessee, United States

From Chapel Hill
122.9 mi
01h 55m
To Chattanooga
121.6 mi
01h 55m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
80°F
Saturday

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph SW
Destination
63°F
Overnight

Mostly Clear

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 12:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Chapel Hill and Chattanooga.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chapel Hill and Chattanooga.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    989 ft · 44 sec

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Joe Horton Road

    902 ft · 42 sec · Joe Horton Road

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Life Road

    1.3 km · 1 min · Life Road

  4. 4

    Continue on Life Road

    5 mi · 9 min · Life Road

  5. 5

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Lexington Bypass

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Lexington Bypass

  6. 6

    At the end of the road, turn left onto South Broad Street

    11.9 mi · 18 min · South Broad Street

  7. 7

    Take the ramp right toward Primary SR 22: Parkers Crossroad, Lexington, Huntingdon

    1179 ft · 25 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left

    68 mi · 1 hr 13 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward I 840 East: Knoxville, Franklin

    1.1 km · 1 min

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Tennessee National Guard Parkway

    52.2 mi · 56 min · Tennessee National Guard Parkway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward I 24 East: Chattanooga

    1.3 km · 2 min

  12. 12

    Merge slight left

    103.1 mi · 1 hr 55 min

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward US 27 North: Downtown Chattanooga

    2163 ft · 47 sec

  14. 14

    Continue straight

    1.2 km · 60 sec

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward Downtown

    1123 ft · 26 sec

  16. 16

    Turn right onto West Martin Luther King Boulevard

    897 ft · 30 sec · West Martin Luther King Boulevard

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West Martin Luther King Boulevard

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Chapel Hill and Chattanooga.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
17 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
3 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 24 East
104 mi · 42%
Primary SR 22
68.2 mi · 28%
Tennessee National Guard Parkway
52.2 mi · 21%
South Broad Street
11.9 mi · 5%
Life Road
5.82 mi · 2%
Lexington Bypass
1.29 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 24 East

Merge slight left

103 mi · 01h 55m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
03h 51m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 42m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+61.4 mi
183.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Thompson's Station
01h 55m from Chapel Hill
Leave By
9:18 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Chapel Hill and Mostly Clear near Chattanooga.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Chapel Hill to Chattanooga?

The road trip is about 244.5 miles (393.5 km) and usually takes 03h 51m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Thompson's Station is a useful midpoint, sitting about 122.9 miles from Chapel Hill and 121.6 miles from Chattanooga.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 183.1 miles (294.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 61.4 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 9:18 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $32.54 one way or $65.09 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 76.7 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Chapel Hill and Chattanooga, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Chapel Hill and Mostly Clear near Chattanooga.

Stop Ideas Near Thompson's Station

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Thompson's Station, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Thompson's Station.

BUS

Nashville, TN

41 mi away
705 5th Avenue South
BUS

Clarksville, TN

91 mi away
11 Jefferson Street \r\n

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Chapel Hill and Chattanooga. Straight-line distance: 183.12 mi (294.71 km).

Chapel Hill

#1 Chapel Hill

Human settlement in Marshall County, Tennessee, United States of America

Population1,571
Coordinates35.5986800, -88.4867200
Altitude167
CountryUnited States
Chattanooga

#2 Chattanooga

The fourth most populous city in Tennessee.

Population184,742
Coordinates35.0456300, -85.3096800
Altitude206
CountryUnited States
Start: (-88.48648, 35.598469)
End: West Martin Luther King Boulevard (-85.309688, 35.045753)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 393 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)08h 08m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 06m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 53m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 04m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 29m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 03m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
8.63 gal
32.66 L · about $32.54
Round trip
$65.09
17.26 gal · 65.32 L
Estimated CO2
76.7 kg one way
Round trip: 153.4 kg / 338 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $32.54 $65.09
Mid-grade $4.25 $36.70 $73.41
Premium $4.65 $40.16 $80.33
Diesel $5.30 $45.77 $91.55

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Tennessee · Apr 19, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Chapel Hill, TN and Chattanooga, TN. The current time in Chapel Hill is 19:29:55, although it is 20:29:55 in Chattanooga.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.